Fenland

Fenland's population expanded in the decade leading up to the most recent census. Data from the census also show there were changes in marriage, housing tenure and work life.

The population passed 95,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Fenland increased by 14%, from about 83,500 to 95,300.

The addition of just under 12,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Fenland was home to, on average, 1.2 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Fenland

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Fenland increased by three years, from 40 to 43 years.

This rural area had a higher average age than Eastof England and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just under 3,200 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 1,000.

About 13% of people in Fenland are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Fenland by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Fenland residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.1% to 1.6% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.1%) reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 2.4% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care grew at the third fastest rate of all local authority districts across England. The improvement brought health in Fenland close to the regional average 1.2% in Eastof England described their health as good in 2011).

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Fenland remained close to 1.6%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Fenland by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in considerably limiting disability

Fenland saw Eastof England's second-largest rise in the proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just under 1 in 20 (4.7%) in Fenland reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 3.5% in 2001. The percentage who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 6.3% to 6.5%.

Across the region, only Tendring saw a greater rise in the proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability (from 4.0% to 5.3%).

Every local authority area across Eastof England saw a rise in the proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability, as the regional average grew from 2.7% to 3.4%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability in Fenland increased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Fenland, Eastof England and England that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities, March 2001 and March 2011

Relationships in Fenland

Fenland saw Eastof England's second-largest fall in the proportion of married people.

In 2011, just over one in two (50%) people aged 16 and over in Fenland said they were married, compared with 56% in 2001. The percentage that said they were single increased from 23% to 28%.

Across the region, only Welwyn Hatfield saw a greater fall in the proportion of married people (from 51% to 45%).

Every local authority area across Eastof England saw a fall in the proportion of married people, as the regional average fell from 54% to 50%.

The proportion of married people was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Fenland that rented privately increased from 8.5% to 16% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in eight (12%) households lived in social housing, compared with 14% in 2001. The percentage of Fenland households that owned their home decreased from 75% to 70%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.6% in 2001 to 15% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Fenland increased by 7.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Fenland, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Fenland working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 16% to 12% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.6%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.4% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell faster here than the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 15% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Fenland decreased by 4.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Fenland, Eastof England and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Fenland residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 9.4% to 6.2% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (77%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 66% in 2001. The percentage of Fenland residents that described their health as fair decreased from 25% to 17%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 7.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Fenland decreased by 3.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Fenland, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Fenland residents that were unemployed increased from 2.7% to 4.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who said they were employed remained close to 53%, while the percentage of Fenland residents that were self-employed increased from 8.8% to 9.3%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.6% in 2001 to 3.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Fenland increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Fenland, Eastof England and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Fenland

The number of people in Fenland from the White ethnic groups increased from just over 82,000 in 2001 to about 93,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 99% to 97%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across Eastof England (from 95% to 90%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Fenland from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just under 460 in 2001 to about 1,100 in 2011 (from 0.6% to 1.1%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from about 470 to just over 900 (from 0.6% to 1.0%).

Just under 500 people (0.2%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 180 in 2001 (0.5%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Fenland decreased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Fenland by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More people living alone

The percentage of one-person households increased in Fenland, while falling in Breckland (one of the most statistically similar areas to Fenland based on ONS area classifications).

In Fenland, the proportion went up from 27% in 2001 to 28% in 2011, while across England it fell from 27% to 26%. During the same period, the regional proportion remained close to 28%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Fenland increased from 9.3% to 11%, while the percentage of households with a married couple decreased from 39% to 34%.

The percentage of households with only one person was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Fenland with children decreased from 28% to 27% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 6 in 10 (64%) households had no children, compared with 63% in 2001. The percentage of households in Fenland with only adult children living with their parents increased from 8.7% to 8.9%.

The proportion of households with children fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 29% in 2001 to 30% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 30% to 29%.

The proportion of households with children was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

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